Hat-stretcher.



EDMUND 0. JOHNSON, OF WARRENS, XVISCONSIN.

I-IAT-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed February 21, 1916. Serial No. 79,699.

T 0 all whom Z't may concern Be it known that EDMUND O. JOHNSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at VVarrens, in the county ofMonroe and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and usefulHat-Stretcher, of which the :following is a Specification.

The device forming the subject. matter of this application is a hatstretcher embodying an expansible frame, and the invention aims toprovide novel means for operatively Connecting the constituent parts ofthe rame, and to provide novel means for producing relative movementbetween the constituentparts of the frame, thereby to secure expansionand contraetion.

It is within the province of the disclosure to imprbve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription pro- Ceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawingz-Figure 1 shows in plan, a structureembodying the present invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is across section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a ragmentallongitudinal section showing the operative connection between the sidesand the ends of the expansible frame of the streteher.

The stretcher herein diselosed may be fashioned from any desiredmaterial and embodies ends 1 and sides 2. The ends 1 are equipped withslots 3 disposed parallel to the upper and lower faces of the ends 1,the sides 2 Carrying projecting pins 4: received in the slots 3. Theslots 3 and the pins 4 constitute interengaging elements coaeting tohold the sides and the ends together for relative expanding andContracting movements in a common plane.

The invention comprises a screw including a handle 5, intermediateportions 6 and terminal portions 7. The terminal portions 7 are threadedin opposite directions, the intermediate portions 6 are threaded inopposite directions, and each of the intermediate portions 6 s threadedin a direction opposite to the adjoining terminal portion 7. Theterminal portions 7 of the screw are threaded into the ends 1, theintermediate portions 6 of the screw being threaded into travelers 8provided with ears 9. Ears 10 are mounted on the sides 2 of theeXpansible rame. Pivot elements 11 are mounted, respectively, in theears 9 and 10 and support links 12 forming an operative connectionbetween the travelers 8 .and the sides 2.

The intermediate portions 6 of the screw are slightly larger in diameterthan the terminal portions 7 so that the travelers 8- may be mountedreadily in place. The intermediate portions 6 are given more threads tothe inch than are the terminal portions 7 As illustrating a convenientbut not mandatory ratio, the intermediate portions 6 of the screw may begiven twelve threads to the inch, the terminal portions 7 of tfiie screwbeing given eight threads to the mc When the screw is rotated by meansof the handle 5 the ends 1 move toward or away from each other,depending upon the direction in which the screw is rotated. The sides 2likewise .move toward or away from each other, under the action of thelinks 12 and the travelers 8 which move along the intermediate portionsof the screw.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is z- 1. In a hatstretcher, an expansible frame comprising sides and ends; interengagingelements on the sides and the ends eoaeting to hold the sides and theends together for relative expanding and contracting movements in acommon plane; a screw comprising a handle intermediate portions disposedon opposite sides of the handle and threaded in opposite direetions, andterminal portions threaded in opposite directions, each of the terminalportions being threaded in a direetion opposite to the adjustingintermediate portion, the terminal portions of the screw being threadedinto the ends; travelers into which the intermediate portions of thescrew are threaded; and links pivotally conneeting the travelers withthe sides.

2. In a hat stretcher, an expansible frame comprising sides and ends; ascrew including a handle, intermediate portions disposed on oppositesides of the handle and threaded in opposite directions, and terminalportions threaded in opposite directions, each te minal portion beingthreaded in a direc- 'ton oppsite to'the adjoning interlnedate portion,the terminal portions of the sCreW being threaded into the ends;travelers into Which the interlnediate portions of the screw arethreaded; and links pivotally Connectng thetravelers ith the sides.

3. In a hat. stretcher, an expansible frame comprisingsdes and ends; ascreW including oppostely threaded end portions and a threadedntermedate porton, the terminal .portions of the' screw* being threadedinto the ends; a traveler into Which the intermediate portion of thescrew s threaded; and links pvotally connecting the traveler With thesides. v In testmony that I claim the foregoing as my Own, I have heretoaffixed my signature in the resence of tWO Wtnesses.

EDMUND O. JOHNSON. WVtnesses: LENA SCOTT, E. A. HORTON.

Copies of thu patent may be obtain'ed foxhfive cent: each, by addressingthe "commissioner of Patcnts,

Washington, D. c." v

